Which is the correct vague pronoun and why
25a. Air pollution normally increases along with population growth. This increasing pollution is a big problem for many cities.
25b. Air pollution normally increases along with population growth. This is a big problem for many cities.
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The correct vague pronoun in this case is "This" in option 25b. The reason is that "This" is unclear about which specific noun it is referring to. In this context, it could refer to either "air pollution" or "population growth," as both are mentioned in the previous sentence. To determine the correct answer, we need to look for clarity and avoid ambiguity.
To make the distinction, we need to ensure that the pronoun clearly refers to the intended noun. In option 25a, the pronoun "This" is replaced with the more specific noun phrase "increasing pollution." This avoids ambiguity and clearly refers to air pollution, making 25a the correct choice.